Her dress, yes she did wear them on occasion, was sticking to her body like gum on a shoe. She was stinking hot and so far from comfortable it was absurd. She'd have gone outside in search of a breeze to alleviate her discomfort, but her jailers wouldn't allow it. No popping out to the shops, no drinking, no partying, no freaking way, and no freaking life. Not now that everyone was oh so concerned for her health and well-being, well, not so much her.
Nothing was about her anymore.
And if she ever needed a reminder of why her life was no longer hers to do with what she willed she need only spare a second and look down to where her stomach once resided. The magical miracle baby was well and truly thriving, but she wasn't doing as well. Captivity didn't agree with her, having spent the majority of her life drifting from one place to the next she'd determined she simply didn't do well in one place for too long, and she'd been stuck in the shack in the bayou for much too long. If she needed proof of that she only had to reflect upon how thrilled she was every time someone deigned to visit her seeming she never received a visit from anyone she actually liked.
"So you're the were-slut," the stuck up British accent had a familiar ring to it.
Hayley turned to greet her latest guest, schooling her features in a bored veneer before scoffing softly. "And you must be the original bitch."
Rebekah's smile melted, "I'd be careful if I were you, right now you have a purpose, but not too much longer and…" She worked her way slowly around the room before turning back to Hayley smile back in place. "I don't imagine you'll be welcome at family dinners, the servants have more class."
Hayley shrugged her shoulders, "no great loss there."
The blonde flipped her hair back. "I thought you'd be prettier," she looked down her nose. "And cleaner," she smirked. "Now to more important matters, how is my niece?"
Hayley couldn't hide her shock, "niece?"
"Oh, didn't they tell you?" Rebekah laughed lightly. "It's a girl," her eyes fell to the burgeoning bump and for a split second Hayley thought she looked almost wistful.
Of their own accord Hayley's arms wrapped around her belly protectively. She looked down at her hands as though they were someone else's, since when was she motherly? Hayley put it down to the hormones, that and her life-long family ambitions – funny how things work out. She looked up to find the blonde original staring at her suspiciously. "What?"
"Best not get too attached," the blonde advised, her voice not sounding half as condescending as before, her expression almost sympathetic. "Don't forget whose child you are carrying Hayley. My brother is a self-absorbed traitorous bastard who isn't in to sharing; don't imagine that just because he's not visiting he won't be taking that kid the moment you pop it out." She paused, looking slightly awkward. "Is there anything you needed?"
Hayley wondered if the blonde was bi-polar. "They get me everything I need, can't have their leverage wasting away."
Rebekah nodded and smiled brightly, "well, I'll be off then. I'd like to say it was nice meeting you, well actually I wouldn't, so later."
"Yeah, later," Hayley addressed the empty space the blonde had occupied seconds before. "And back to the boredom that is my life," she sighed to herself. "Stupid freaking witches," she said louder hoping they would hear her. But alas, it was hours before anyone else bothered to enter her prison.
"So nice of you to come visiting Sophie," she rolled her eyes, wondering what the witch wanted from her now. "To what do I owe the honor?" she ground out.
Sophie looked grim. 'Klaus isn't making any progress."
Hayley didn't know what Sophie expected her to say, what could she say? Was she expected to do something? She'd been held prisoner in the bayou so long she figured she was eligible for a local's discount.
Sophie looked her up and down considering, "we might need to motivate him."
What the hell did that mean? She was seven months gone, what exactly would motivate the psycho freak more.
"There's a full moon in five days," Sophie said it like a death sentence.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" They couldn't seriously be considering making her turn, they had no idea what that would do the baby, hell they couldn't even figure out exactly what magic baby was. They'd told her that it should be avoided, told her they'd make sure it didn't happen.
"I'm sorry, but our options are limited."
And she really did sound sorry, Hayley mused. Just when she couldn't be more uncomfortable, she was going to be forced to excruciatingly break every bone in her body. Hell no bitch! And just what did they think Klaus would do if the baby died? What would he do when Hayley was no longer useful? She wasn't ready to find out, thank you very much, so it was not going to happen. "There's another option."
Hayley had Sophie's undivided attention. "In Mystic Falls…"
Sophie interrupted, "we know about the doppelganger, she's a vampire now, useless."
Hayley smiled coyly, happy in the knowledge that for the first time in months she was in control. "Your right he doesn't care about her, but her little blonde friend..."
Sophie scoffed, "he seems to have difficulty finding it within him to care about his daughter; do you really think he'd do anything for this girl?"
Witches were horrendously superior Hayley decided. "Cause you're such an expert on all things Klaus," those treacherous hands were back on her belly. "You stopped me from turning because you were worried that it might hurt whatever it is that I'm carrying, if you make me turn now you might kill it and then if Klaus doesn't tear you limp from limp, you'll be Marcel's little bitches till hell freezes over."
Sophie's stare was hard. "Tell me about this girl."
Hayley smiled, there was a brief moment when she wondered if she should feel bad, but it was fleeting. It was difficult to see a down side for her in pushing holier than thou Miss Mystics Falls under the bus. Klaus would be more motivated which in turn would increase at least her short term chances of survival, Caroline would once again be miles from Tyler which just might put an end to their love story, and definitely would if the witches should feel the need to demonstrate their resolve by delivering Caroline to the Other Side.
So really no down side, unless the psycho freak Klaus should discover she'd shared his dirty secret in which case she'd be very dead.
"Her name is Caroline Forbes, she's a vampire and Klaus is in love with her."
Hayley really hoped this wasn't one of those times she'd regret opening her mouth.
Silas hadn't made much in the way of progress. Bonnie was still dead, and he hadn't managed to find either a way to bring her back or another witch powerful enough to do what was required. He'd been well on his way to homicidal frustration, seriously considering ending Elena and Damon's existence each time they had one of their meetings to discuss the various things they hadn't accomplished this week, when it had occurred to him that he'd having waited two thousand years he could probably afford a little more patience. Wait a little bit longer to feel the satisfaction of forcing the Bennett witch to do his bidding prior to reuniting her with her loved ones in the afterlife, in a manner yet to be determined but certainly of a decidedly painful on account of the trouble she'd beleaguered him with.
Of course, if things were going to continue to move slower than it took him to reach his desiccated state he decided he needed a side project, a distraction if you will. From what he had learnt through his observations of Mystic Falls' residences, and the tedious ramblings of his doppelganger, if distraction was required it should generally be of the blonde variety.
Ms Caroline Forbes was a strange little creature, bubbly, bright, blood-sucking monster of the inner circle of hell that held the dubious distinctions of being loved by the only two Hybrids on the planet, and being Stefan Salvatore's best friend. Which meant, of course, that she was now his best friend and as such didn't she have an obligation to keep him entertained?
Silas had had little to do with her since she had proved less than helpful in his endeavor to get his plan back on track, she had come to see him often and rung more frequently but he'd avoided contact. If she wasn't promoting his agenda he hadn't seen much point in indulging her incessant petitions for his time. In addition, the few times they had crossed paths before he had to rush off to a former engagement he noticed that she was looking at him strangely as though she might suspect that something unfortunate had happened to friend Stefan. With that in mind, the wiser option was surely to continue to avoid her and find another form of entertainment, but he was by nature a risk taker.
And so he found himself outside Ms Forbes dorm room fist paused to knock when the lady herself drew back the door greeting him with a large smile which he couldn't help but note didn't actually reach her eyes. "Stefan," she breathed, and somehow it sounded more like a question than a greeting, he wondered if it was subconscious on her part.
"Caroline," he smiled making every effort to put some warmth into it. "Are you busy?"
"No, not at all," she replied seemingly without a moment of hesitation smile still as bright as the sun.
He wasn't sure why, but he found her amusing. "I am sorry," he said solemnly, trying for the "it's Tuesday" look, not sure exactly what that entailed but hopeful he got it right.
Caroline's eyes widened and her smile slipped. "You…uh… what?"
"I am sorry Caroline," he reiterated. "I have been in a dark place of late, I pushed you away and I am sorry. You are my best friend." He smiled his first real smile since returning from his desiccated hell, angling for one of those delightful smiles she'd given him when he was in another's guise.
She smiled uncertainly, but pulled him towards her hugging him tightly. He felt her shiver slightly before she pulled away; she took his face between her hands staring deeply into his eyes as though she was searching for the meaning of life. Silas wasn't sure what it was that she was looking for, but he figured she must have found it as a smile tugged up the corners of her mouth travelling up to her eyes.
"Apology accepted." She clapped her hands, "so what did you want to do?"
"I am at your disposal for the evening," he bowed lowly.
She laughed, sounding like tinkling bells to his ears, "I'm alone tonight so I was just about to watch a movie."
"I will watch with you then," her smile turned slightly wicked and he sighed before continuing, "though I suspect I might regret it." He waited for her to move out of the doorway, but she didn't move. "Can I come in?" he asked with a laugh that sounded nervous even to his ears.
She looked somewhat embarrassed ducking her head and retreating into the room; she pointed to her bed "I'm on the right."
He moved the collection of junk food to the center of the bed and made himself comfortable whilst she grabbed the remote and settled on the other side. "Ready?"
He nodded and he found himself watching something called "The Notebook", which he had a sinking suspicion he wouldn't enjoy, but if it assuaged her doubts about him, he decided he would endure.
Half an hour in he felt himself relaxing in her company, tension leaving his body slowly sliding out of him and into the ether. It was surprising to him that anyone could have such an affect upon him, let alone the little blonde distraction. He had thought that this world, his purgatory, had no promise of joy left from that soul destroying moment when she was ripped from it. Yet, something told him that being Ms Forbes best friend might make his remaining time in purgatory more tolerable, she might perhaps offer more than light entertainment.
He watched as she became engrossed in the movie, completely oblivious to his presence. She was so easy to read, her emotions playing across her face more interesting to him than the movie, Caroline reminded him of Her. He wasn't sure what it was, something undefinable that brought to mind the love that he had lost. He took her hand, suddenly yearning for contact; she turned to him and met his eyes with a small smile.
"I missed you," barely above a whisper she voiced then returned her gaze to the screen leaving her hand in his.
Ms Caroline Forbes was surprising Silas decided. She was sunny, and he'd been in the dark for much too long.